How to work with a commercial gallery

The purpose of this article is to give some guidelines for artists when entering into any commercial relationship with a gallery, particularly for the first time.

It is always a good idea to do a one-off project exhibition with a gallery, to test drive any future relationship before committing to a contract or ongoing representation.  A contract, however tightly worded, can never be a substitute for trust and respect, equally shared by the gallery and the artist.

This article is written by respected UK collector Richard Greer and curator Medeia Cohan-Petrolino.

For more information on working with commercial galleries, and what to expect from the relationship between galleries and artists, watch our ArtlawTV interview with Rene Gimpel from Gimpel Fils.

This article is from the Artlaw Archive of Henry Lydiate's columns published in Art Monthly since 1976, and may contain out of date material.
The article is for information only, and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.
Readers should consult a solicitor for legal advice on specific matters, and artists in London can get free online legal advice from Artquest